Electrical fare-box



` 2 Shets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. A. GROWDUS.

.ELECTRICAL FARE BOX.

Patented Feb. 8

N. PETERS, Pmvumagmphnr. wmingnm. D. c.

v 2 SheetsfSheet 2. W. A. CROWDUS.

ELECTRICAL FARB BOX.

Patented Feb. 8, 1887.

Pneus mwumognpw. immuno. u, n:A

(Nomea-e1.) l Y 7 .v//AW//VEFW//// w M f W v f W NiTnn STATES PATENTUlrich.

VALTER A. CROWDIUS, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

ELECTRICAL FARE-Box.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 357,372, dated February8, 1887.

Y Application filed July 29, 1886. Serial No. 209,385. (No model.)

.To @ZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WALTER A. CRowDUs, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dallas, Dallas county, State of Texas, have invented certainnew and useful Improvements in Electrical Fare-Boxes, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has for its object to improve the illumination andincrease the efficiency and subserviency of street-car fare-boxes. Tothese ends the source of light is located in the interior of the box,instead of being placed in a separate chamber at the outside of the box,as is now done, and electrical agency is utilized to produce the lightand also to notify the driver that a passenger requires change and whena fare has been deposited in the box, thus attracting his attention tothe collection of fares 'only when necessary and s'o abating theexactions of oneof his many arduous duties.

In carrying out the principles here involved in the application ofelectricity to fare-boxes the various functions performed are asfollows, to wit: The interior of the box is illuminated only when a fareis deposited therein by the fare being retained on one or more of anumber of balanced eircuit-closers extending across the box, and soclosing the lamp-circuit, and at the same time closing a bell-circuit,said circuits remaining closed with the lamp burning and the bell, whichis of a vibrator-y character, ringing until the driver, by themanipulation of a pull-button project-ing from-his side of the box,releases the fare from the balanced circuit-closers. Great economy ofthe electric current is thus had, as the lamp is lighted 4and the bellrung only for such length of time as to enable the driver to ascertainthe correctness of each fare deposited.

The fare-box may be illuminated temporarily by the driver, by themanipulation of a push-button adapted to close the lamp-circuit only.The fare-indicating bell is utilized to call the drivers attention to apassenger requiring change by means of a push-button accessible to thepassengers, the depression of which causes the current to iow `so as togive* a single stroke on the bell, thus makinga sig- 5o nal or calldistinctive from the fare-signal.

The electric current may be cut off from the incandescent lamp by meansof a switch accessible only to the driver, so that the fares depositedat such time cause the current to dow through the bell-circuit only; andthe box is so constructed that the interior thereof may be readily gotat for cleaning the same and fixing the electrical parts. interiorslides and pivoted fare-retention traps, are made of glass and are heldin grooved frames, from which they may be removed when the top of thebox, which is hinged and provided with a lock, is thrown back; but todescribe my invention more particularly I will now refer to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specication, in which-Figure 1, Sheet l, is an elevation of the side of the box facingtheinterior of thecar. Fig. 2,

The sides, as well as the Sheet l, is a vertical central section cut onthe line a: w, Fig. 1. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is an elevation of the side ofthe box exposed to the driver. Fig. 4, Sheet 2is a view with the sideofthe box removed, showing the electrical connections; and Fig. 5, Sheetl, is a vertical crosssection on the line y y, Fig. 2, showing thecall-bell and lamp.

The sides of the box exposed to theinterior of the car and to thedriver,which,for convenience of description, I call the car side7 anddriver side,7 are respectively fitted with glass plates a anda',theends, upper andlower parts being inclosed as shown. hinged to thedrivers side, is provided with a lock, b', and to it is hinged theinclined part b2, having the slit c. This part bz covers the upper edgeof the glass side a when the top b is closed and locked, the glass sidebeing held in grooves in the end of the box, from which it is readilyremoved, giving access to the interior of the box when the top b isopened.

In a receptacle formed in the upper part of the box is iixed theelectrical signaling or call apparatus, consisting of the bell d,electromagnet e, and springacting armaturef, carrying the ham1nerf,andimmediately below this receptacle is located the small incandescent lampg.

A glass slide, h, fitted in grooves in thesides of the box, ext-endsfrom just below the slit c to about the center of the box, and aninclosed chute is formed by it andthe glass plate z', held in a pivotedframe, one of the trunnions of The top b,

IOO

which passes through the double side a2 of the box,and is there providedwith armi',to which is connected the pull i2, projecting through thedrivcrs side. The deilectorh, extending from the bottom of thebell-receptacle to the upper edge of the glass i', completes the chute,down which the fares fall as they are placed in the slit c, and at thebottom of the chute is located a number of delicately-balanced fingers,jjj, having pivoted bearings on the bar j', tted in the ends of the boxjust behind the lower edge of the slide h. One end of these balancedliugersjjj, extends under the lower edge of the glass plate z', andtheir other ends under the bar jz. Said hngers'are normally away fromthe barj", but act as circuit-closers therewith as soon as a fare isdeposited in the box,and is retained in the chute by the ngers jj,whether said fare be represented by a coin or by a paper or cardboardticket, the lingers being so balanced as to require very little Weightto make them come in contact with the bar f.

The electrical connections are as follows: Posts or studs 7c 7c projectfrom the base near its upper end, and to them are connected the linesfrom a battery or other source of electricity located in any suitablepart ofthe car. The battery-wires may be attached to sockets secured tothe car, and the posts or studs 7c k held in the sockets. The post k isconnected to one end of the electro-magnet e by the line e' and to thelamp g by thelineg, the other end of the magnete being connected to thearmaturef and to the post l by line e2, andthe armaturefby themake-and-break springfandline f to the post m. This post m and the bar jare joined together by the line m,and the bar j to the terlninal post orstud k by the line m2. The upper post,Z,is connected by theline Z' tothe line miand in this line Z is included the push-button circuit-closern, fixed in the car side of the box. The other terminal of the lamp g isconnected to the stud o by the line g", and this stud o to the line m2through the push-button circuit-closer p, exposed at the drivers side ofthe box, and on this side of the box is located the switch-lever o',connected to the line m by the line o, and adapted to make contact withthe stud o.

It Will be observed that all the circuits are normally open, and I willrst consider the operation of the apparatus with the switchlever o olithe stud o, as it will be in the daytime or when 11o artificial light isrequired in the fare-box. A coin or ticket deposited in the box throughthe slit c falls on one or more of the fingers j j, causing their rearends to make contact with the bar jl. The electric current now flowsbetween the posts k and k', through the electromagnet e, armature f,contactspring f2, line j"5 to post m, line m', bar

j, through the fingers j in contact therewith, the barj, and the line m,thus causing the armature f to vibrate and the hammer f to act onthebell d, which action is kept up as long as the coin or ticket is allowedto remain on the fingers j, in which position it is in full view of thedriver for his examination. The driver then draws out the pull i, whichmoves the glass plate t' away from the fingers j, and allows the fare orfares to drop onto the trap q. The lingers j swing away from the bar j2as soon as relieved of the fare and again break the circuit.

'Io cause the box to be illuminated when fares are deposited thereinthedriver places the switclrlever o on the stud o. Now, when by the weightof the coin or ticket representing the fare the fingers j j make contactwith the bar j2 two paths are provided for the electric current-thebellcircuit, as before described, and the lamp-circuit, comprising theline g', lamp g, line g2, stud o, switch-lever o', line o, line m', barjz, lingers j j, bar j', and line-m. The current is thus divided betweenthe bell and lamp circuits, and continues to flow, causing the bell toring and the lamp to glow until the driver drops the fare from thelingers jj to the trap q. Upon the closing of the li ne l', by means ofthe push-button n, when change is required by a passenger, the currentliows from the post k through the electromag.

net e, line e, post Z, line Z', push-button u, line m2 to post k', thusenergizing the electro-mag net, which, upon attracting the armature f,causes the hammer f to make one stroke on the bell d each time thecircuit is closed at the push-button u.

The fares, as before stated, are retained by the trap q as they fallfrom the tingersjj, and may be allowed to accumulate to any extentdesired-as for a half trip or trip between certain stations-and fromthis trap (Lwhich is a plate of glass held. in a pivoted frame, thefares may be dropped into the drawer r in the lower part of the box bymeans of the pull q2, connected to the arm g', attached to one of thetrunnions of the frame of trap g. An intermediate trap, s, may, wheredesired, ,be elnployed to catch and hold the fares as they are droppedfrom the trap q, and from this trap s they may be deposited in thedrawer 1' by manipulating the pull s2, connected to the arm s of thetrap s.

It is desirable and sometimes necessary that the driver shall have powerto illuminate the box for examination of the fares on the traps q or s,or for other purposes. Means for this object are provided in thepush-button p, which, upon being depressed, closes the lampcircuit only,the current then flowing between posts 7c and k', through line g', lampg to stud o, and through push-button connection p, by line p', to linem2.

The plate 13 and traps q and s are held in their normal position by thesprings t, g3, and s", respectively.

Having now fully described the nature of my invention and means for thepractical exe.- cution of the same, I wish it understood that I do notconfine myself to the particular construction of the various devices orarrangement of circuit-lines and other parts; but

ICO

IIO

IIS

What I claim,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The combination, with a fare-box, of an electric lamp applied theretoso as to fully illuminate the interior of the box, electric conductorsfor connecting the lamp to a source of electricity, and a key or switchincluded in the circuit and located at the side of the box accessibleonly to the driver or attendant, substantially as described.

2. In combination, a fare-box, an incandescent electric lamp located inthe interior of the box, electrical connections, and means,

substantially as described, to cause the current t0 flow and the lamp toglow when a fare is deposited in the box. v

3. In combination, a fare-box, an electromagnetic call-bell, electricalconnections, and a circuit-closer consisting of a retention deviceadapted to hold the fares and be under the control ofthe driver orattendant, which, by the weight of a fare deposited inthe box, closesthe circuit and causes the bell to ring as long as the fare is allowedto remain upon it.

4. In combination, a fare-box, an incandescent electric lamp, anelectromagnetic callbell, electrical connection, and means,substantially as described, for closing the circuit to cause the currentto flow through the lamp and call-bell when a fare is deposited in thebox.

5. In combination, a fare-box provided with two electrical terminals, anelectro-magnetic call-bell located in the box, a circuit including theelectromagnet and armature maleand-break contact and circuit-closeractuated by the fare deposited in the box, and a linek actuated by thefare deposited in the box between th'e terminals, and another lineincluding a circuit-closing push-button, completing the lamp circuitaround the i'are circuit-closer, substantially as and for the purposeset forth.

7. In combination,a fare-box provided with two electrical terminals, acircuit-closer actuated by afare deposited in the box, a call-bell andan incandescent lamp located in the box,a line between the terminalsincluding the callbell and the farecircuitcloser,anotherline includingthe lamp and fare-circuit closer, and a push-button ci rcuit-closer in aline including the electro-magnet of the call-bell, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth.

8. In combination, afare-box provided with two electrical terminals, acall-bell, an incandescent electric lamp, a circuit-closer actuated by afare deposited in the box, lines between the terminals, including thecall-bell and the lamp and farecircuit closer common to them, and aswitch in the lamp-line, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

9. In combination,a fare-box provided with two electrical terminals, acircuit-closer actuated by a fare deposited in the box,a call-bell, anincandescentelectric lamp,a line including the call-bell and thefare-circuit closer, a line including the lamp-circuit closer, apushbutton and line for causing the current to flow through thecall-bell only, and a push-button and line for causing the current toflow through the lamp only, substantially as set forth.

l0. In combination,afareboxprovidedwith glass sides and slides and ahinged top,an electrical call-bell located in a receptacle at the upperend of the box,and au electric lamp located under the bell-receptacle,substantially as set forth.

11. In co mbination,a fare box provided with an internal chute below theslit or entrance for fares, balanced fingers extending across the lowermouth of chute and supported by a metal bar electrically connected to aterminal on the box, a bar locatedover the rear ends of the fingers andelectrically connected to an- V other terminal, a call-bell includedinthis lastmentioned circuit-line, and means for moving the front side ofthe chute away from the balanced fingers to allow fares retained by thefingers to fall therefrom, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

12. In combination, afare-box provided with glass sidesand a glass chutebelow thefare-slit, two electrical terminals, an incandescent electriclamp, and a key or switch included in one of the lines and located atthe side of the box accessible only to the driver or attendant,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13. In combination,a fare-box provided with a chute below the fareslit,balanced fingers supported on a bar and extending across the mouthof the chute,a bar located over the rear ends ofthe iingers,an d anelectriclamp locatedA inv the box, the circuit of which includes thefingers and bars when a fare is supported by the lingers, substantiallyas set forth.

14. In a fare-box,in combination,a chute below the fare-slit, electricalcircuit-closing tingers extending across the mouth of the chute, thefront plate of the chute being pivoted and provided with means by whichit may be moved away from the Vtingers,and afare-retention trap or trapslocated under the chute,substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand at Dallas, Dallas county,State of Texas, this 13th day of July, 1886.

WALTER A. CROVDUS.

IIC

IIS

